BBFF Team
Aija Dreimane
Chair of the Boston Baltic Film Festival, Aija born and raised in Riga, Latvia spent her childhood on movie sets, where her mother worked as a casting director. Inspired by the magic of filmmaking from a young age, she found her calling within the industry, commencing her professional journey as a script supervisor and working for Riga Film Studio, as well as German and BBC movies.
Aija relocated to the USA in 2007 and has since become an integral part of the Boston Latvian community. As the President of the American National Latvian League (ANLL/ALTS), she organizes a variety of cultural events, including theater tours, concerts, exhibitions and film screenings. She worked as an art and folklore teacher in the Boston Latvian School and sings in the Boston Latvian Choir.
Aija also holds the position of Production Manager at the Bedford Youth Performing Company in Bedford, NH.
Anne-Reet Ilves Annunziata
Anne-Reet Ilves Annunziata, PhD, is Estonian Honorary Consul for Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Estonian culture has always played an important role in her life from the days when as a little girl her national dress was the most valued item in her wardrobe. Estonia has a rich performance culture in the arts and film is an expression of that-from comedy through tragedy. Anne-Reet says: “Working with the Boston Baltic Film Committee provides me the opportunity to examine new arrivals to the screen as well as to review and recognize the classics which were the roots of these often bold and outrageous new films.”
Patrīcija Briķe-Safina
Patrīcija graduated from the University of economics and culture in Riga with a professional bachelor’s degree in management of culture. During her studies, she had the opportunity to study in Wroclaw, Poland, using the opportunity to be part of the ERASMUS program. Patrīcija moved to Boston in 2017 together with her husband and since then has been an active member of the Boston Latvian community, singing in the Boston Latvian choir and being an active member of ALTS (American National Latvian League). Patrīcijas hobbies are taking photos and beading.
Nele Kaps
Nele was born and raised in Estonia. She is a graphic designer with over 15 years of ad agency experience working with clients from fortune 500 companies to individual professionals. At the moment, she enjoys her life as a freelance designer. It was her piano teacher who planted a seed of interest in music, theatre, and art at an early age that now has turned her into a film buff. She is a bit of a paper snob, obsessed with letterpress prints and Japanese pens. When not behind her computer, she loiters at the local museums or hunts down historic homes. She is an active and contributing Boston Estonian Society member and a former President of the Boston Estonian Society.
Renate Krūmala Kenney
Renate studied music, English language and literature. During her college years, she was attracted to the awakening folklore movement that popularized the forgotten and forbidden songs and got involved in the “Singing Revolution” that helped bring Baltic independence. In 1991 Renate joined the newly opened American Embassy in Riga, helping establish the first cultural and educational exchange programs between the two countries. She has organized international conferences for UN agencies and the European Commission. Currently, she serves as the President of the Latvian Foundation. Her primary interest throughout has been arts and culture, fostering collaboration and better understanding through public diplomacy.
Lauris Lambergs
Lauris proudly serves as a Board member of ANLL/ALTS and has been actively involved in organizing the Boston Baltic Film Festival since 2020. He co-founded a local wealth advisory firm, Renaissance Wealth Advisors, that specializes in working with cross-border families to help create and perpetuate long-term financial well-being. Lauris graduated with a B.A. in French from Duke University and an MBA from the Riga Business School. While not working on the Film Festival or helping families address their financial well-being, Lauris plays competitive soccer, enjoys classic alternative 80’s music, and thanks in large part to the endless patience of his wife, has somehow learned to appreciate Impressionist art and good red wine.
Gita Līgure
Gita, a longtime board member and former president of ALTS/ANLL is passionate about organizing cultural events in her spare time. As an active member of ALTS, Gita has organized and hosted concerts, art exhibitions, theater guest visits, and celebrations for the Boston Latvian community. Gita graduated from UMass Boston with a BS in Computer Science and from Bentley University with an MS in Human Factors in Information Design. After a long career as a software engineer, Gita is now a Usability Researcher and enjoys improving product design and functionality based on a deep understanding of people's purposes and needs. Gita grew up in Riga, Latvia, and now lives in the Boston area. Gita enjoys all kinds of hands-on projects, including baking, knitting and helping her husband fix their almost 100-year-old home.
Rima Girnius
Rima began her career as a Radio Editor for the Sunday Student Program “Juventus” at Lithuanian Radio and TV before relocating to the US. She met her husband, Tomas, during his first visit to Lithuania after the Baltic Singing Revolution, where she actively participated. In the US, Rima dedicated her career to the health insurance industry while actively engaging in various roles within both American and Lithuanian communities serving on the Lithuanian American Community (LAC) National Counsel, presiding over the LAC Boston chapter, and contributing to the Lithuanian Federal Credit Union (LFCU) “Taupa” Board of Directors. Rima also played leadership roles in Ateitis.org and the Duxbury, MA Rotary club.
Rima holds MS in Civil Engineering and MA in Journalism and Communications from Lithuanian universities, and MA in Applied Sociology from UMASS Boston.
Currently residing in Duxbury, MA, Rima shares her life with her husband Tomas.
Sondra Litvaityte
Sondra, originally from Šiauliai, Lithuania, began her international journey in 1998 when she moved to Italy to pursue the IB program at the United World College on a Soros Foundation scholarship. She later earned a degree in political science and international relations from La Sapienza University in Rome and went on to serve at the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in Italy and the Consulate General of Lithuania in New York for more than 15 years.
One of her most memorable moments was being part of the project Villa Lituania by Lithuanian artists Nomeda & Gediminas Urbonas that represented Lithuania at the Biennale di Venezia in 2007. As well as organizing the “Gardens” art installation by Ray Bartkus at Federal Hall in New York for the Centennial of Modern Statehood of Lithuania in 2018.
As a founding member of the New York Baltic Film Festival, Sondra has been passionate about promoting Baltic cinema in the U.S. and is excited to join the Boston Baltic Film Festival team this year. Currently, she serves as the Ambassador of Šiauliai to the USA and has initiated the “Open the Window: Šiauliai - New York” event series. This initiative showcases the cultural and creative spirit of her hometown, fostering connections between Lithuanian and American audiences in New York City. Sondra is also researching the life and work of Victor David Brenner, the designer of the Lincoln Penny, who was born in her hometown, and hopes to one day produce a documentary about him and his family.
Marilem Soodla Ferentinos
Marilem has always been passionate about sharing her Estonian heritage. She was one of the organizers of the Baltic Centennial in Boston 2018, is an active member of the Boston Estonian Society, and is the secretary of the Baltic American Society of New England.
For the past several years she has been part of a writing group in Cambridge, capturing her experiences of her family's escape from Estonia during WWII, of living in a refugee camp in Germany and of growing up in a multicultural community with a large Estonian population in southern New Jersey. Marilem also helped Helga Merits, a noted filmmaker in Holland, in making of a documentary The Paradox of Seabrook Farms.
She recently retired from extensive careers in the biopharmaceutical industry and in science education. She has also studied Estonian handicrafts in Finland, Estonia and the USA, and has enjoyed interpreting them to contemporary designs and items.
Monika Girnius
Monika came to the U.S. with her parents when she was 7 months old. Raised in the American Lithuanian Community, she attended Boston Lithuanian School, enjoyed summers at Camp "Neringa," and danced with the group “Samburis.” Monika later taught at the Lithuanian school and held various roles at "Neringa." She's now active in the Lithuanian American Community (LAC) Boston Chapter and serves on the Board of Directors for the Lithuanian Federal Credit Union (LFCU) “Taupa.”
Monika holds a BS in Cognitive Science from McGill University, and MA in Work and Organizational Psychology from Maastricht University, and Cultural Psychology from the University of Amsterdam. Currently, she works at Boston Medical Center as an Operations Manager in General Internal Medicine.